Language

ENES

CONTEST RULES

36th FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MÁLAGA

11th– 17thNOVEMBER 2026

FANCINE – FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL is organized by the UNIVERSITY OF MALAGA, a public institution whose core missions include the dissemination and critical appreciation of culture, in partnership with FESTIVAL DE MÁLAGA.

FANCINE is an affiliated member of the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF). As such, in each edition, it nominates a European fantastic short film to compete for the Méliès d’Or award in its category.

1.- GOALS

FANCINE – FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL of the UNIVERSITY OF MALAGA aims to showcase a selection of the best worldwide cinematic productions in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, horror, adventure, thriller, mystery, action, animation, and other related genres, formats, techniques, and styles. This applies to both feature and short films, consistently promoting an appreciation for cinema. Besides, the University of Malaga, as a non-profit public institution committed to social responsibility, aims to make its film programme as accessible and inclusive as possible,) with a special focus on underprivileged social groups or those facing greater barriers to accessing culture.

2.- COMPETITIVE SECTIONS

  • FEATURE FILMS.
  • LIVE ACTION SHORT FILMS.
  • ANIMATION SHORT FILMS.

3.- GENERAL CONDITIONS

3.1. Production Date and Geographical Exclusivity

Titles in competition must have been produced after January 1st, 2025. Only films not previously screened in the geographical region of Malaga can participate.

3.2. Running Time

FANCINE will consider feature film every film longer than 60 minutes.

The running time of competing Short Films must not exceed 15 minutes.

3.3. Screening Formats

Feature films: Professional digital formats, preferably DCP.

Animated and live-action short films: HD digital file with H.264 codec, minimum 1080p resolution, preferably in .mov and DCP format. Last-minute changes to the screening format will not be accepted under any circumstances.

3.4. Subtitles

Selected films must be screened in their original language with Spanish subtitles. Short films are subject to this same rule, unless the work is silent or the dialogues are unnecessary for comprehension. In the exceptional event that an unsubtitled film is selected, an English dialogue list with timecodes will be required in .doc, .txt, .rtf, .srt, or .xls format.

3.5. Exhibition Rights

The production or distribution companies holding the exhibition rights of the films will grant them for the duration of FANCINE.

Short films selected for the official competition may be screened at other university centers during the same dates.

If the festival decides to program a non-competitive short film section, express prior authorization from the exhibition rights holder will be required.

4.- FILMS SUBMISSIONS

The person responsible for the film submission must be authorized by the owner of the distribution rights of the film. Once selected, a film cannot be withdrawn from the festival.

4.1. Feature Films

The participation of feature films in the competition section will require a prior invitation from Fancine organization.

4.2. Short Films

Submissions must be made exclusively through the FILMFREEWAY platform before 11:59 PM on July 15, 2026.

€1 submission fee.

5.- SELECTION PROCESS

All the films presented to participate in the different sections will be chosen by the Selection Committee formed by different professionals from the University of Malaga. The Committee’s decisions are final and binding. Participants whose films are selected will be notified via email. Within 15 calendar days of receiving this notification, they must provide the following materials:

  • Trailer or promotional video material, without watermarks, at the highest quality possible, to be used for cultural promotion of the festival.
  • At least 5 press photos (of the film and/or shooting) in .jpg format with a minimum quality of 300 dpi (15 x 10 cm).
  • A recent photograph of the director in .jpg format and a minimum quality of 300 dpi (15 x 10 cm).
  • Bio filmography of the director.
  • 2 Posters of the film or digital file in .pdf format.

Screening copies of the selected films must be received at the Festival headquarters by October 30, 2026. Failure to meet this deadline gives the organization the right to revoke the selection and replace the film with another entry. The person submitting the film declares they are authorized by the distribution rights holder to provide the screening copy, which cannot be withdrawn from the festival. The festival organization reserves the right to reject a film if the print/file does not meet the necessary technical standards for high-quality screening. Unselected short films will be notified at least fifteen days prior to the start of the festival.

6.- FILM TRANSPORTATION

  • FEATURE FILMS: The festival organization will cover the shipping costs for selected feature films. Participants must send the copies using the courier company specified by the organization.
  • SHORT FILMS: In all cases, participants are responsible for the shipping costs (both ways) of selected short films, as submissions and screenings can largely be managed online. When shipping physical copies, a dispatch notice must be emailed to info@fancine.org, including the film’s title, shipping date, and tracking number. Return shipments will be processed within a maximum of thirty days after the festival concludes.

7.- JURIES

7.1. Official Jury: comprises renowned film industry professionals. Individuals involved in production, direction, distribution, or any commercial exploitation of the competing films are strictly prohibited from participating as jury members.

7.2. Youth Jury: comprises students from the University of Málaga. Individuals involved in the production, direction, distribution, or any commercial exploitation of the competing films are strictly prohibited from participating.

7.3. Audience Jury: Comprised of the attendees at the screenings of the competing films.

8.- AWARDS

Awards will only be granted to films officially selected for competition. Under no circumstances may cash prizes be shared (ex aequo) or left unawarded (void). No runner-up prizes or special mentions will be given. Cash prizes are subject to standard tax withholdings under current Spanish law. These prizes belong entirely to the individual or company holding the film’s distribution rights. The winning distributor, or the producer where applicable, must explicitly include FANCINE and a clear reference to the award won in all future advertising of the audiovisual work.

The Official Jury will award the following FANCINE prizes:

  • Best Feature Film, with a cash prize of €6,000.

The Youth Jury will award the following prizes:

  • Best Feature Film, with a cash prize of €1,500.
  • Best Live-Action Short Film, with a cash prize of €1,500.
  • Best Animated Short Film, with a cash prize of €1,500.
  • MÉLIÈS D’ARGENT Award for Best European Fantastic Short Film. This qualifies the winner to compete for the MÉLIÈS D’OR award in its respective category within the Méliès International Festivals Federation (www.melies.org).

The Audience will vote to award the following prizes:

  • Audience Award for Best Feature Film in the Official Section, with a cash prize of €1,000.
  • Audience Award for Best Live-Action Short Film, with a cash prize of €500.
  • Audience Award for Best Animated Short Film, with a cash prize of €500.
  • Audience Award for Best Feature Film in the Fantastic Ibero-American Section, with a cash prize of €1,000.

These audience awards will go to the films with the highest number of votes. In the event of a tie, the Official Jury (for feature films) and the Youth Jury (for short films) will have the deciding vote. If an Audience Award and an Official or Youth Jury Award happen to fall on the same film, the Audience Award will automatically be passed to the runner-up in the public voting. Cash prizes from different juries cannot be awarded to the same film. The accredited press will award the Gato Rabioso Award for Best Feature Film, chosen from all the feature films in the program that have not had a commercial release in Malaga. Lastly, the festival organization reserves the right to grant additional awards and recognitions to films or individuals not specified in these rules, whether promoted internally or through agreements with other entities.

9.- GENERAL PROVISIONS

FANCINE – Fantastic Film Festival of the University of Malaga reserves the right to use excerpts (maximum 2 minutes) of all submitted and selected films for promotional purposes.

Participants shall indemnify and hold FANCINE harmless against all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including, but not limited to, legal fees and court costs) arising from copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, or the loss/damage of submission materials.

The organization will not engage in correspondence regarding submissions beyond basic administrative matters. Under no circumstances will the organization negotiate or debate the terms and conditions outlined in these rules with participants. The organization holds the final say on any matters not covered here and may grant exceptions if they benefit the success or management of the competition.

Registering or submitting a film to the festival implies unconditional acceptance of these rules and regulations.

The Spanish text of these regulations will be the only valid version in case of discrepancies regarding the meaning of any of the above regulations.

INSCRIPTION AND GENERAL INFORMATION ADDRESS

FANCINE – FESTIVAL DE CINE FANTÁSTICO
Edificio Contenedor Cultural.
Bulevar Louis Pasteur, 23
Campus de Teatinos
Universidad de Málaga
29010 Málaga (Spain)
Tel: +34 951 95 30 71
e-mail: info@fancine.org, fancine@uma.es
Web: www.fancine.org